1. Field
Embodiments described herein relate generally to a semiconductor memory device and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Background Art
A conventional magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element is formed on a gate of a cell transistor formed by RIE and is electrically connected to a via between gates. In many cases, the via is formed by depositing tungsten by CVD. In these cases, a seam can occur in the via.
The MTJ element may be formed on the seam in the via, on a slope formed because of the seam, or on a step formed between a gate hard mask and the tungsten via because of burying of a gate step. In such a case, the characteristics of the MTJ element can deteriorate.